South Africa cruise into second round

By Telford Vice

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (Reuters) - South African captain Graeme Smith led his team into the second round of the World Cup with a convincing seven-wicket win over Scotland in their Group A match on Tuesday.

Chasing 187 for victory, Smith scored a commanding 91 as South Africa cruised to 188 for three with more than 26 overs to spare.

Scotland's 186 for eight surpassed their previous highest World Cup score, made in 1999 against Australia, by five runs.

After dispatching the Scots and the Netherlands with the minimum of fuss, South Africa will meet Australia on Saturday to determine which team will carry two points into the next phase of the competition.

The only downside for the South Africans was when fast bowler Makhaya Ntini's return to action was cut short. He left the field in the 40th over of Scotland's innings.

Ntini, playing his first match in the World Cup after being on paternity leave, pulled up while bowling his ninth over.

He completed the over and left the field to receive treatment for what the team spokesman said was cramp.

Ntini, the spearhead of the attack, did not return, leaving South Africa to complete a disciplined but not particularly inspired bowling performance.

SURVIVED CHANCES

Medium pacer Andrew Hall took three for 48, while Shaun Pollock was the most economical bowler with his return of one for 25 from 10 overs.

The Scotland batsmen struggled to score freely until the latter overs of their innings, when Dougie Brown and John Blain shared a brisk seventh-wicket stand of 50.

Brown top-scored with 45 not out and Blain made 23.

Smith and AB De Villiers (62) kept the South Africans locked on their victory course with an opening stand of 134, both surviving chances during their hefty partnership.

De Villiers was 18 not out when he was dropped by stand-in captain Ryan Watson at short mid-wicket off medium pacer Blain.

Watson missed out on a catch offered by his former schoolmate Smith on 38.